Success Stories
The stories we report here are actual client cases. They are the children, parents, couples and individuals we work with every day. For most, their names, photos and some details have been changed to protect their privacy. But some of our clients are strong advocates for the services they received, and tell their stories through video. All offer their stories so you can better understand how lives can be changed when someone in need asks for our help.
Tasha – a Home Far from Perfect (watch video)
In hindsight, Tasha says she should have known. Even before her ten-year marriage began, the abuse from her husband had started--the occasional physical threat, name-calling and degrading treatment. Read More
Ron is No Longer Homeless (watch video)
Ron had a good job and a home on a golf course. But then he developed an illness that changed his life. Too sick to work, he lost his home. Then he ran out of money and even his friends could no longer help. Read More
Zabrina Keeps Her Kids During Treatment (watch video)
Zabrina This is a true story of a mom who kept her children with her while she went into treatment for drug abuse. Zabrina knew she needed residential treatment for her drug addiction. But she refused to leave her children for the time she would be away. Then she learned about Family Works. For six months she received treatment, wrap-around services and 24/7 support to make her recovery stronger. Today she has been sober for two years. Read More
Sam and Dora No Longer Live in Their Car
Five-year-old Dora and her mother Samantha had been living in their car for the whole summer. They had been evicted from their apartment in the spring, after the third month of not being able to pay the rent. But the weather was getting cold, so they stayed in homeless shelters in order to get a warm meal and a cot to sleep on. Samantha never got a good nightβs rest anymore, but she knew that Dora slept more soundly inside. Read More
Tanya’s Mom Gets Her Life Back
Shanita seemed to lead a normal life. She attended community college and held a job. But inside her family, all was not well. As a teenager, Shanita began drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. Then, she began using methamphetamine, sometimes even daily. Read More
Jonah and His Mom Were Afraid of His Dad
The grief she suffered from her fatherβs death pushed Claire off the path to the future he wanted for her. She dropped out of college, started using drugs, and fell under the spell of an abusive man. Eight years passed in a fog of alcohol, drugs and domestic violence. Four children were born, and she was pregnant again. Read More
Leah Learns How to Be a Parent
Sixteen-year old Leah was still a child when she arrived at the Heartland Family Service Children's Emergency Shelter with two of her own children, ages 1 and 3. This young girl and her children had been removed from her aunt's home for emotional, physical and sexual abuse. She had lived with her maternal aunt since she was five years old, ever since her own young mother left Leah for an "overnight" and never returned. Read More
Ed Finds Friends at Our Senior Center
Every day, for six years, Ed visited his wife at an Omaha home for Alzheimer's patients. Every day, he fed her lunch and dinner. When she died, he thought he didn't have anywhere to turn. Read More
Siblings Stay Together in Our Emergency Shelter
From the outside, 17-year-old Amber and her 8- and 6-year-old siblings, Keisha and Donte, appear to be happy kids enjoying themselves and smiling with one another. What you cannot see from the outside is the struggle they have been through. Read More
Jenny Escapes the Violence
Jenny was eight months pregnant. She was tired that night. She had just put her two-year old daughter to bed, but she knew she had a long night ahead. The abuse started pretty much as usual. This time it was about the way she cooked dinner. It was something that would be overlooked in most homes--but Bill, her husband, never overlooked such "mistakes" in their home. By midnight a chair was broken, the kitchen was torn apart and Jenny had several new bruises. She kept turning away from Bill to protect her unborn baby, but that just made him angrier. Now she was really scared. Read More
Sonny’s Mom Grows Up
Sonny was two years old when his little sister Alicia was born. His mom was only 15. Sonny's mom, Leah, had a rough life. Abandoned by her parents, raped when she was twelve, and abused by the aunt who was her guardian, she fought back by getting pregnant again. Finally the abuse from her aunt was too hard to bear, and she called Child Protective Services herself. Read More
George Makes Some Friends
The nice young woman next door was worried about her 77 year-old neighbor, George. She had seen him in the hall and he looked terrible--no shoes, dirty shirt inside out. He had been wearing the same clothes for a week, and she suspected he was sleeping in them. Read More
Roberta Finds a Friend at Solomon Girls Center
Roberta threw a tantrum when she joined our Solomon Girls Center at the end of the school year. She had just moved into town with her mom--leaving her home and father and friends behind--and she was angry. She cried often, was nasty to the other girls, and refused to pay attention to the teachers. This little girl needed help. Read More
Emerson Says Thanks
Since it had been more than a year since Emerson had visited our office, his unannounced visit took his former therapist quite by surprise. Read More
Stephanie’s Family Seeks a Safe Haven
Stephanie was like a lot of the women in our Domestic Abuse program. Aft first her husband just called her names--made fun of her ankles or her teeth. Before long, the abuse turned physical--pinching, then an occasional slap. Then a fist in the face. And then the apology. "I'm sorry." He'd whisper. He'd kiss her forehead and tell her he loved her. And then he would beat her again. Read More
Nick Learns to Trust Others…and Himself
Nick's long hair, black T-shirt and baggy jeans put a lot of people on guard -- they wondered if he was trouble. The teenager's mouth and manner usually confirmed their suspicions. Nick had attitude for everyone, save for a small gang of friends from his "crowd." He ranted at his mother; he blew his teachers off -- sometimes with a smirk, sometimes with a yell. He was failing every class. He criticized and mocked his fellow students. His conversations were vulgar. He smoked marijuana daily. Nick disrespected everyone, including himself. He was trouble. Read More
The Banisters Stay Together
Like all automobile accidents, Margie Banister's was entirely unexpected. Her day began like most others. She awoke early to fold a basket of laundry, enjoy a few minutes of quiet and cook breakfast for her children. Read More
Beth Heals…and Then Leads
At only 29 years old, Beth's life was more than heading in the wrong direction - it was out of control. Since the first day she used methamphetamine, Beth began to lose herself. In a short time, her desire to use forced her to sacrifice all the things she had held dear. Her marriage suffered -- and then failed. Her relationships with her parents and her children were strained, as they tried to understand why Beth had changed so much, and so quickly. Read More
SAFE Program Helps Jerry Change Violent Behavior
Six year-old Jerry was having behavioral problems in his kindergarten class at an Omaha school. He often hit other children and had problems accepting "no" as an answer. He had similar behavioral issues at home. Read More
GEMS Program Saved Man’s Life
On June 19, I helped a gentleman through the GEMS program that was suffering from COPD, a chronic lung condition. Literally, he could barely breathe while he was in my office. Read More
Andy is Optimistic Again
At age 11, Andy had given up on school. Classmates teased and bullied him. At home, he verbally and physically fought with his siblings. He was withdrawn and angry most of the time. He had a feeling of hopelessness about his future; and to him, aggression against himself and others was the answer. Read More
Patrick Gets a Home
Ruth and her 15 year-old nephew Patrick had been living in their car for more than a year. They traveled the country with no destination and no stability. Ruth's health was poor, including high blood pressure, poor vision, poor circulation, and a weak leg from diabetes. Patrick was fed up with the lifestyle, and he had become verbally abusive to Ruth, who suffered from a bipolar depressive disorder. Read More
Sandy Sleeps Easier Now
Six year-old Sandy woke with a start and sat up in bed when she heard the crash. Her parents were fighting in the kitchen, and by the sound, she knew her father had just thrown the big kettle at her mom. Read More
Becky Finds a Home
It was a bright, white spotlight that woke eighteen-year-old Becky from a restless sleep. Someone was tapping on her window. A rush of fear coursed through her body, but then she heard who it was: "Wake up! Police!" She rolled the window of her car down a few inches and talked to the officer. Read More
Terry Turns His Life Around
I would like to share my story of desperation and hope. I am a single mother, raising a teenage boy. When school started last year my son Terry had just returned from Oklahoma and most of the "good" kids were playing sports. This left Terry to hang with the "not so good" kids. Read More
Donna Makes a New Life
My wonderful husband Carl died just two weeks before our fortieth anniversary. He was only 66. I felt so cheated - we had been making plans for a wonderful party with all our family and friends. It was a heart attack - totally unexpected. I just felt like my whole world came crashing down. Read More
Three Small Children Share Their “Firsts”
It was the middle of a summer night when the police answered a call from a neighbor and found three small, thin children alone in the yard outside their home. The youngest child, only a year old, was still crawling, and her 4-year old sister, Anna, her face worn by stress, was keeping her away from a broken glass bottle. These three little children were taking care of each other -- outside -- in the middle of the night! Read More
HALO Receives National Recognition
The Heartland Family Service HALO program (Healthy Alternatives for Little Ones) in Omaha received national recognition from the Alliance for Children and Families through its 2003 Robert Rice Innovative Program Award. Read More
Three Abandoned Children Get a New Start
No one knew for sure how much time had passed when they were found. Three fragile children huddled in the back seat of car with no driver, no mother, no one around. It was purely by accident that someone saw them at all - not one of them had made a sound, as if they learned to stop waiting for someone to arrive. All of them lay still, nearly naked in dirty diapers and a blanket. All of them quiet - even the youngest at five weeks old, knew there was no one to answer his cry. His sisters - 18 months and three years - silent, sitting hopelessly quiet, almost resigned to being abandoned. Read More
